BOAF Bulletin Express

Finding the Best Bird in Show

By Ray Schwartz

Coming next month:

Your Article by

Any BOAF member or bird person Submit it now!!

Remember, the alternative is strories by me or blank pages - which is worse?

Fall Fund Raiser Reminder Breck’s Bulbs

Return your order forms and payment at this meeting!!!!

If you want to order bulbs but are not going to be at the meeting, please send me the forms and, more importantly, the money.

To get our commission, I have to place a single consolidated order.

Field Trip - Wild Bird and Animal rehabilitation

One of our BOAF members, Heidi Hellmuth, is a trainer/curator at Loon Mountain Wildlife Theater. She can arrange a special showing of the birds and animals in their collection. If we get enough people to go, we can get the group rate for the entrance fee. Interested?

The following plea was forwarded to BOAF by Sam Kanaga from the parrotsentry mailing list. Does anyone know who they are? If yes, can you write an article for the bulletin? Should BOAF compile a list of bird rescuers?

Bird Rescue

Gail Zichy of Clifton NJ is trying to rescue some parrots that are being mistreated in a pet shop. She is soliciting donations for this effort. Until she has enough money, she is bringing them fresh foods. If you can help, her address is

Parrot Rescuer Gail Zichy
39 Oregon Street
Clifton, NJ 07011
e-mail: Zchy47@aol.com

Good luck Gail.

To: Fall Show Volunteers

Want to get more involved with the club. Run for office next fall. It is hard to believe another year has almost passed. In October and November, nominations will be accepted for 1999 Officers and Directors. Want to run? We accept self nominations. If not, start deciding now who you would like directing the club next year.

Right now the club exemplifies the 90 - 10 rule. Don’t know what that is? It means 90% of the work is done by 10% of the members. How ‘bout some additional members joining in and helping out!

Now is the time to prepare your birds for the fall show on October 10, 1998

Volunteers still needed for the fall show

Each year we all marvel at how wonderful our fall bird show is. What makes it happen is the members who volunteer to organize it, set it up, run it and take it down again. This year yours truly is show chair. I’m a novice at this and will need lots of help. I already have a handful of volunteers — many more will be needed. If you like parrots, cockatiels or something else volunteer to be a steward or secretary in that division. It’s both fun and educational and there are still lots of openings. If you can’t help all day, an hour or two to let someone else take a break is greatly appreciated. Like cooking? This year BOAF will run the kitchen so we’ll need volunteers for there as well (and don’t forget food donations).

Mist them daily

Get them used to their show cages

This is an updated list of the show positions and who is filling them. Obviously, several more volunteers are still needed. Why not you!

If you’ve organized shows before, what other positions did I miss? Thank you in advance for your help.

Missing Raffle Prize

Pat and Doug Beardsley won one of the raffle prizes at the spring auction. Unfortunately, they left early and were not there to claim it. Someone volunteered to deliver it to them. Well, they are still waiting! Would the person holding their raffle prize please deliver it to them. Thank you.

Cages STILL needed for our BOAF monthly raffle table

If you can donate a new or used cage for our monthly raffle table, please call Lisa at (603) 622-3874. Please call also if you can sell cages at prices our limited budget can afford.

Secretary’s Report: Meeting of April 13, 1998

Social Event: Birdie Bingo

The meeting was called to order at 7:55 pm by Denise Bourgault. The first order of business was a review of the raffle table and Birdie Bingo prizes. One prize in particular drew a lot of attention — a bottle of wine with a custom BOAF Low Quality Wine label.

Denise requested (pleaded for?) donations for the fall show. They should be given to Roger or Nancy, the show raffle table co-chairs.

The membership approved the directors’ decision to bid for the 2001 National show and use the theme "2001 a Bird Odyssey".

Steve Tanner sold cards and called numbers for the Birdie Bingo. Many members improved their odds of winning by playing multiple cards. He livened things up by varying the games with variations including wild numbers, blocks of nine, requiring all four corners plus Bingo and full cards.

The grand prize winner (a pair of lovebirds with cage) was Victoria Hyde.

Other great prizes included $20 gift certificates to Shop and Save.

After another great raffle and the 50-50 drawing, the meeting was adjourned at 10:05 pm.

I know it’s summer and everyone has vacation on their minds. Have a great time but please don’t forget BOAF.

I saved the one article I had for the September bulletin and substituted the Fall Show Flyer instead. Please feel free to copy it and distribute flyers to all your friends and co-workers. I’m sending full color show flyers to every bird club in the Northeast. Thank you Dr. Al for the great suggestion! Let’s try to make this one of the most successful BOAF shows ever.

All members are encouraged to show their birds. It is fun and informative. And, since we’re not affiliated with a national event, you have a greater chance of winning. Actually, several members own champion birds and win at national events.

Note that we will be having a bird/pet mart in conjunction with the show. It will be in a tent set up in the parking lot behind the gym. It gives you and the club a chance to make some extra money.

We will also have the club sponsored bird sales room. It will be inside the gym. Here, club members will sell the birds with BOAF getting a commission for their sale.

The Treasures Report through the second quarter is included in this issue. You can see BOAF is solvent but does not have sufficient reserves. As you know, we plan to bid for the 2001 National Show. There will be considerble expense associated with that effort. The most painless method of raising the money is fund raisers. The flower bulb sales will conclude this month so we need something new. We have two really nice raffle items for the fall show. Do you have any suggestions for producing additional income?

If you have something to be published, give it to me at a meeting or send it to:

Ray Schwartz
19 Olde Common Drive
Atkinson, NH 03810-2177

or e-mail them to editor@boaf.com

or call me at (603) 362-6106

Secretary’s Report: Meeting of July 13, 1998

Presentation: Judging Bird Shows by Dr. Al Decoteau

The meeting was preceeded by a sexing clinic from 7:15 to 8:00 pm. Susan Fellows directed the drawing of blood samples. Certificates of sex will be distributed at the next meeting.

The meeting was called to order at 8:00 pm by Denise Bourgault. Katy Secor made a brief prsentation on the upcoming seminar sponsored by the Aviculturists of Greater Boston. Steve Tanner presented the quarterly treasure’s report. Ray Schwartz distributed additional order forms for Breck’s bulbs. Denise reported that still no progress has been made tracking down the "stop payment" auction check. Denise emphasisized the importance of fund raisers to the club.

A vote was taken to decide if BOAF should sponsor a Bird Mart in September. It was approved unanimously.  [Since the gym is unavailable this added event will not take place]

Dr. Decoteau made his presentation on how birds are judged. [See the summary on page 1.] First the birds were placed into divisions as they would be at a show.

Dr. Al judged each bird explaining its strengths and weaknesses. The members nade him work hard by bring thirty wonderful birds. Angela Grey’s Ringneck accommodated Dr. Al by demonstrating the exhibitor’s nightmare - a tail feather on the bottom of its cage.

Dr. Al picked a winner for each division and placed all birds in that division on display. While judging the parrots, Dr. Al encouraged all members to exhibit. He explained that clipped birds, even Cockatiels and Parakeets, can be shown in the novice subdivision. There, they are not marked down for not being in full flight.

Finally Dr. Al had to make the big decision. He selected a really nice Bare Eyed Cockatoo as best in show. The winner is named MR. GONZO and is owned by

Debbie Stahre and Tim Crowley. Their prize, donated by Dr. Al, is a one year membership to SPBE. Prism, my Green Winged Macaw, was runner up. After another great raffle and the 50-50 drawing, the meeting was adjourned at 9:45 pm.

Report on Directors Meeting July 20, 1998.

The meeting was preceeded by a barcecue hosted by Steve Tanner. Denise Bourgault called the meeting to order at 7:45 pm. Ray schwartz showed the Lladro porcelain cockatiel that will be one the raffle prizes at the fall show.

Ray brought a preliminary copy of the show flyer for review and correction. It was agreed to include an indication that this was our nth annual show. Dr. Al will provide the number n [It is our 12th annual show]. Since this is not a national show, we agreed on a price of $65 each for vendor tables. Electric power will be $10 additional. Business sized ads for the show catalog will be $25. Ray Schwartz will prepare a show handout. Ads are required by September 15th.

Steve Tanner agreed to bring the ice cream, syrups and accessories for the August meeting.

Don will send a certified letter re the stop payment check.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:20.

Next Directors Meeting

Date: August 17, 1998
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Place: Steve Tanner’s Home

Agenda: This meeting of the Board of Directors will be to resolve any issues still remaining with the Annual Fall Show. It is open to all members. Please let Steve know in advance if you plan to attend.

If you are not an Officer or Director, but want to volunteer to help with the the show or any future event, please come to the directors meeting or contact one of them.

Webmasters Report By Allen Fox

None this month.